The Senate on Tuesday asked the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, and the State Security Services (SSS) to investigate the circumstances surrounding a viral death rumour of its presiding officer, Godswill Akpabio.
The resolution was reached during plenary after the senator representing Benue North-West, Titus Zam, raised concerns over the false reports circulating on social media about the senate president’s health and alleged death.
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For over a week, there have been claims circulating on social media platforms that Mr Akpabio was critically ill, with some posts alleging that he collapsed in a London hospital and was admitted to an intensive care unit, while others went as far as claiming that he had died.
The speculation generated more attention on social media after a Nigeria-US-based blogger, Adeola Fayehun, posted on Instagram urging Nigerians to pray for the senate president, whom she described as critically ill in a London hospital.
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The post referenced images of Mr Akpabio using a walking stick and referenced an alleged collapse during his birthday celebration two years ago.
When the matter was raised on the floor of the Senate, Mr Zam described the spread of false death reports about Nigerian leaders as damaging to the country’s image.
He urged the Senate to punish the promoters and all all those responsible for the rumour stories in order to serve as deterrent to others.
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Responding, Mr Akpabio noted that he was not the first Nigerian leader to be falsely reported dead. He recalled an instance where a former head of state, Yakubu Gowon, was rumoured dead while he was alive and attending a Christmas carol service.
“You want to know that it is not only politicians that they bring this report about. Somebody was telling me that they showed a burial ceremony of a business tycoon when the person is not dead and they also said the former head of state, General Gowon was dead when he was alive attending last Christmas carol,” he said.
Mr Akpabio subsequently urged the NSA and the SSS to probe the origin and spread of the rumour.
When the motion was put to a voice vote, it received overwhelming support from senators.
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“It is the view of the Senate that this matter be referred to the National Security Adviser, the DSS (SSS) to investigate. You can’t stop people from writing. You know the internet is garbage in garbage out, so you can’t stop garbage in,” he added.
This is not the first time the senate president has been falsely rumoured dead. Similar claims have resurfaced in the past, often alleging that he died in the United Kingdom.
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